Special counsel Jack Smith petitions Supreme Court to rule on Trump's immunity

Special counsel Jack Smith has asked the Supreme Court to rule directly on whether Donald Trump is protected by presidential immunity for actions taken during his time in the White House. Smith wants to bypass the lower court appeals process to save time and preserve the March 4 trial date. The urgency is driven by Smith's desire to try Trump before the 2024 presidential run and to prevent Trump from potentially preemptively pardoning himself if reelected. While the court typically prefers to hear from lower courts first, Smith invokes the 1974 Watergate precedent to argue for a fast decision that denies immunity for Trump.